Monday, August 10, 2015

Yesterday I mentioned the weekend and how wonderful we found it. What I didn't go into was our trip to meet up with D's sisters, N and A. The designated location for us to meet was at Montgomery Place in Annandale-on-Hudson. As it explains in the brochure we picked up, Montgomery Place "includes over 400 acres tended and shaped by one family for nearly 200 years". Our guide through the house also told us that when the house was purchased, the family donated all the contents. What a tremendous gift!

I haven't seen all of the Hudson River mansions and estates, but of those I have seen Montgomery Place has the most beautiful setting and views. Those views (again I encourage you to click on the photo to see a larger image and to be able to scroll from one to another) include a grand sweep of lawn framed by huge, old trees, a pond, the Hudson River, and the Catskills. Here is one from the side porch (definitely not what it was called by the family:

By the way, that porch was very large and comfortable. One could imagine it as it was used - as an extension of the home - another room without walls in which people congregated.

This next picture is taken from the main steps down from the house to the lawn and gives a more complete and formal view beautifully framed by the trees on either side.

As you walk farther down the gentle hill towards the pond, the view shifts again to something a bit more intimate:

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And then more intimate still:

I will show you still more photographs as we go through the week, and by the time you've seen what I have to show, I think you will agree that Montgomery Place deserves to be at or near the top of your "must see" list.